Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail

[tourider]

I just love this website where us cyclists wish to know more about the route's and get some idea of what we are doing on the road. And that we can read about other people's expierence on the bicycle. It will be fun when we can have the entire United States for ourselves where we can ride wherever we want without being disrespected and being run over by trucks and cars.

About four months ago i was lucky to finish my first bicycle tour cross country from KY to Utah. It took about a months and two weeks. I also had my father along to help me along the way. It is amazing what you can find out there when your not driving a car going 70 mph. It's extremely peaceful and fun to see the world at a different way.
I am actually doing another bicycle tour in two years which is the Great Divide Route. I have heard great things from the route and the terrain but i am wondering if anyone else has been on that route or has heard other great things about it i would really like to hear it. I heard it's very hard trip also which takes a lot of strength.
I would like to hear from people who know what kind of food to bring, clothes, equipment, and what kind of training i need to prepare for when i go to the Great Divide Route ?
That way i won't be in the middle of nowhere and i have know idea what to do.

Thanks

Any advice will be great.


Jake Charles

[JimF]

If you haven't looked at "crazyguyonabike.com" journals yet, do a search. I know you will find lots of good info. Also, Scott and Paula of Topofusion.com did an excellent journal with a comprehensive gpx set of files on the route. Good luck.

[FredHiltz]

Do not overlook "Cycling the Great Divide" by our own Michael McCoy here.

Fred

[carrot]

Hi from New Zealand

Was thinking of cycling the Great Divide route from mid April until mid June taking it pretty easy with my wife on a hardtail MTB tandem with alfine 11 gears. Realise that there will be snow in parts and will hopefully bypass these by other forms of transport or roads if needs be. Does this sound practical.

Thanks for any advice

Jon

[John Nettles]

Was thinking of cycling the Great Divide route from mid April until mid June taking it pretty easy with my wife on a hardtail MTB tandem with alfine 11 gears. Realise that there will be snow in parts and will hopefully bypass these by other forms of transport or roads if needs be. Does this sound practical.

Thanks for any advice

Jon

It depends on how much you tolerate the cold and how much you want to take other transport.  Numerous passes WILL be closed due to snow so it is doable with major rerouting on to highways, etc.  If you could start at least 4 weeks later and ride south to north, you would be in a much better situation but would probably still have some of the higher passes closed due to snow.